Antarctica an Adventure of a Different Nature [Blu-ray]

Amazon.com

True to the IMAX tradition, Antarctica is replete with breathtaking aerial and underwater footage of the earth's highest, coldest, and driest continent. Most folks' TVs are 4,500 times smaller than an IMAX screen--too small to duplicate the acrophobic-stomach sensation that is the hallmark of the IMAX in-theater experience. All the same, like most IMAX movies, Antarctica has some of the best production values on film today. The story begins with a flock of penguins above--and below--water, and moves to gargantuan underwater ice sheets and then to a look at Antarctic climatic changes. Watch scientists locate and extract ancient ice to analyze preserved bubbles of ancient air, as well. Explorer Robert Scott makes an important contribution with his appealing voice and serene, well-articulated narrative. The DVD's special features include Spanish and French language tracks, subtitling, and Internet links if you use the disc on your computer. --Erik Macki

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful photography, poor narration.......2007-08-19

I rented this dvd in the hopes that I could show it to my classes of fourth and fifth grade science students. I will have to look elsewhere for my purposes. While the images are visually stunning (in particular the glacial meltwater and crevasse scenes), the narration was poor for my intended audience. The narrator spoke in a monotone voice and many basic points were ignored... were we looking at an ice shelf, an ice sheet, or pack ice? Furthermore, the focus of the film bounced around from topic to topic with no apparent connection. I appreciated information about what the scientists were studying but I don't plan on paying for the dvd for five minutes of content.

Worthwhile to rent.......2005-11-17

My favorite moments in this film are the seals, the penguins, and the people swimming inside the water of the interior of a glacier. The penguins are really cute, and the seals are amazing, the way they let people come right up to them.

I don't know enough about Antarctica to comment as to whether it has been presented fairly in this film, and I've never seen another film on Antarctica to compare this one to.

Very pretty but pretty dull.......2004-12-15

Look, I love all things about Antarctica, having visited there as a Coast Guard officer in 1982. I have stood at the South Pole, flew in a helicopter through the Dry Valleys, cavorted with penguins on the sea ice, visited the restored huts of Scott and Shackleton. And yet this DVD bored me. Granted, the cinematography is awesome (well, semi-awesome on a 21 inch screen), and I learned a bit about glaciers. But the reviewers who point to the film's choppiness are spot on. Moreover, the narration is at an annoyingly low volume compared to the rest of the soundtrack. Finally, the romantic elevation of Robert Scott into a great explorer is ahistoric, as Roland Huntsford showed long ago in his book Scott and Amundsen, so the fawning treatment here is inappropriate.

Very Good but Missing Something.......2003-11-07

The strength of the program is in the underwater shots and the look deep inside the crevice. This is where the program shines and the Imax we all know is evident.

I was a little disappointed in the wild life shots, particularly because a Killer Whale is never shown (I don't think even mentioned) and which is a major component of that ecosystem. The shots of seals and penguins on the surface seemed a little distant and didn't have that usual Imax touch to it.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there just seems to be something missing. I watched Imax's Everest title back to back with this one. The Everest one is so much tighter. I think because you get a better feel for the people you're watching on screen, whereas with the Antarctica program, there really isn't a tour guide. It's more disjointed and it plays very choppy. When it's good, it's very good, but there's some lapses there in between the underwater scenes where it just looks like they're at the local ski resort. I never felt like I was shown the expanse, danger, history, complete beauty of Antarctica.

It is still a wonderful program, although I think I would have been just as happy renting it. I don't think it will get dozens of plays like the Everest title will.

Captures the wonder and majesty of Antarctica.......2001-09-17

This 1991 documentary was created for an IMAX presentation so I seriously wondered how this video would look on my little TV scene. Of course it could never be the same, but I had nothing to worry about because this 38-minute Australian documentary definitely captures the wonder and majesty of Antarctica. I learned something too and held my breathe in awe when the camera showed how the crevices in the glaciers are sometimes covered with such a thin sheet of ice that it will not sustain the weight of a person. However, they did bring a camera down there and it was a treat to see something that had never been filmed before. Another great shot was a timed exposure of the sun as it travels around the pole. There was also excellent cinematography of seals and of penguins although I wish they had skipped the silly background music, which tried to be humorous while showing the penguins diving. There were also a few film clips from the 1948 British film "Scott of Antarctica".

I understand that the film cost $3.5 million to produce and that the film crew had to drag 2300 pounds of Imax equipment around, including one camera that never worked in the frigid temperatures. It took two Antarctic summers to film and the crew stayed at the American, French, Russian and Chinese scientific camps, getting some interesting footage of the scientists themselves and their experiments. The inevitable conclusion is that global warming is a serious threat that we cannot ignore. This is a great video for those of us who will likely never visit this coldest, driest, windiest and last unexplored place on earth. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful photography, poor narration

Worthwhile to rent

Very pretty but pretty dull

Very Good but Missing Something

Captures the wonder and majesty of Antarctica

Antarctica - An Adventure of a Different Nature (Large Format)
Starring: Alex Scott
Director: John Weiley
Manufacturer: Lumivision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
IMAX | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Travel | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 6303386660
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful photography, poor narration.......2007-08-19

Worthwhile to rent.......2005-11-17

Very pretty but pretty dull.......2004-12-15

Very Good but Missing Something.......2003-11-07

The strength of the program is in the underwater shots and the look deep inside the crevice. This is where the program shines and the Imax we all know is evident.

It is still a wonderful program, although I think I would have been just as happy renting it. I don't think it will get dozens of plays like the Everest title will.

Captures the wonder and majesty of Antarctica.......2001-09-17

I understand that the film cost $3.5 million to produce and that the film crew had to drag 2300 pounds of Imax equipment around, including one camera that never worked in the frigid temperatures. It took two Antarctic summers to film and the crew stayed at the American, French, Russian and Chinese scientific camps, getting some interesting footage of the scientists themselves and their experiments. The inevitable conclusion is that global warming is a serious threat that we cannot ignore. This is a great video for those of us who will likely never visit this coldest, driest, windiest and last unexplored place on earth. Recommended.

Average customer rating:
Large Format - Explore the World 2 Gift Pack=Africa: The Serengeti/Antarctica: An Adventure of a Different Nature/Mysteries of Egypt/Mystery of the Maya/Tropical Rainforest
Starring: Explore the World 2
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Documentary | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004WG22
Release Date: 2000-09-27

Average customer rating:
Large Format - Explore the World Gift Pack=Alaska: Spirit of the World/The Great Barrier Reef/Africa: The Serengeti/Antarctica: An Adventure of a Different Nature/The Greatest Places
Starring: Explore the World
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
Nature & Wildlife | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Documentary | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004WG21
Release Date: 2000-09-27

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